Ottawa Life Magazine Calls for Release of Abdirahman Video to Ensure Police Are Held to Account

Ottawa Life Magazine Managing Editor Dan Donovan is calling for the immediate release of the Abdirahman Video to restore public confidence in Abdirahman case and to ensure Police Are held to account.

The magazine's continuing investigation into the actions of the Ottawa Police Services Board (OPSB) and the Attorney General of Ontario in providing special treatment to Ottawa Constable Daniel Montsion, who is charged with manslaughter in the brutal and vicious beating of Ottawa resident Abdirahman Abdi, led Donovan to call for the release of the video in an interview with CFRA Morning Drive host Bill Carroll earlier this morning.

Donovan told Carroll that he believes "there is a cover up related to information in this case by the Attorney General and the Ottawa Police Services Board and that it is now in the public interest to release the video to ensure the police are held accountable".

Donovan also noted on the show that Constable Montsion was one of the highest paid police constables in the province making the annual Sunshine list earning close to $160,000 dollars in each of the two years prior to the incident, and that he is still earning his full salary after being charged with manslaughter.

Donovan said that police misconduct in the Ottawa Police Service is at an all time high and that the OPSD and its Chair, Eli El-Chantiry have done nothing to address the misconduct over the past several years which includes Ottawa Police constables not being fired for fraud, theft, spousal abuse, driving under the influence and assault.  Donovan also said the composite gloves worn by Montsion and other constables and the dress and deportment of many police where they have tattoos, shaved heads, Terminator style sunglasses and body armour make them look like thugs, not policeman that the community can have confidence in. The police should be approachable and respected in our community, not feared, said Donovan. He noted that there are many good police in the Ottawa Force and these thug police must be held accountable.

Donovan told Carroll that too many irregular things have happened since the incident that don't pass the smell test and indicate that Attorney General Yasir Naqvi and the Ottawa Police Services Board are prepared to continue to offer special treatment to Montsion that would never be afforded to citizens who are not police.

The magazine believes the release of the video will clarify the brutality of the incident and shine a light on the judgment and special treatment provided to date by police officials and others with responsibilities to the public in the case. Donovan says that "Ottawa Police Association Matt Skof's immediate defence of Constable Montsion without knowing any facts, and his now continuous blaming of the incident on Mr. Abdirahman as being a threat to police, when evidence clearly shows otherwise is troubling".   He also said that "Eli-El Chantiry's misinformation as it relates to the role of the OPSB in the matter and Mr. El-Chantiry's complete lack of engagement in police matters like the Abdirahman case and others going back several years, show he is not qualified or capable to be Chair of the OPSB."

Ottawa Life Magazine reported last week regarding Attorney General Yasir Naqvi's decision to go along with the Montsion release without a bail hearing or comment related to the appropriateness of that release.

Ottawa Life Magazine respects the Abdirahman family and is aware they may be against the release of the video of Mr. Abdirahman's death.

However, the publication now believes that it is in the public interest that the video of the moments leading up to Mr. Abdirahman's death by the Ottawa Police be released. The  release of the video will serve to force further accountability on Attorney General of Ontario and Ottawa MPP, Yasir Naqvi, Ottawa Police Services Board Chair Eli-El Chantiry and Ottawa Police Association President Matt Skof.